Restitution (The Edge of Darkness, #3)

by Leigh Rivers

“What will you do with your freedom?” Kade stares at me for a long moment, breathing the same air while I touch him through his clothes. “Win my girl back.”

“I dream of you,” he says in a deep voice, his eyes darkening as he pulls his belt from the loops of his black trousers. “Every night, I dream of you.”

“Whoever touched you while you were in America, I’ll kill them.”

“I’ll track them all down and make them wish they’d never laid eyes on you.”

“You see that gun there?” he says quietly so the guard doesn’t hear, and I nod, frowning as he grabs it and shoves it into my hand. “If I hurt you, shoot me.”

“Officials have recovered a body from the car. The individual has been identified as convicted killer Tobias Mitchell. He escaped his institution in the US not long ago and has been on the run ever since. It seems the hunt for the psychopath has now come to an end. There will be more information in the coming days.”

“Stay with me,” I whisper to him, but he looks away.

Tobias Mitchell cannot be dead.

I see him pulling a black hoodie on, his face covering in place to hide the scar. It matches his gloves, boots, combat trousers and hair. Kade Mitchell is the haunting definition of darkness.

“You fucked your own daughter?” Archie spits at him, uncaring. “She was a good girl.”

going to make the world a safer place for you. Let me do this.”

My name is Kade Mitchell, son of Tobias Mitchell, and I will not be fucking silent anymore.”

“I love you,” I tell him, my voice cracking. “No matter what happens next, please know that.”

He kisses my shoulder gently. “I love you, Freckles.”

“So you’d still be my girlfriend even if I’m in prison forever? That’s not a life you deserve.” She grins, her cheeks going a lovely shade of red. “I don’t believe we’ve crossed that bridge.” I pull a brown strand from between her lips. “What bridge?” “The one where you ask me to be your girlfriend again.” Something swells in my chest, and the tip of my nose touches hers. “Will you?”

In all honesty, the title “girlfriend” seems minuscule and immature considering what we have. I’m madly in love with her, and she’s made it clear she feels the exact same way. If we were in a different position, and I wasn’t about to be arrested and taken away from this life, then I’d marry her and put an army of kids in her.

I’d burn the universe just to see her smile at me the way she is now. She’s m...

“I don’t understand.” She tilts her head, breathless and spasming as I pinch her nipples. “Understand what?” “With all the shit I’ve done, how I’m lucky enough to have you.”

“You’re insatiable, do you know that?” “Only for you.” I force out the words and focus on her. “I’ve been attracted to you since we were fifteen. But why is it that even after all the times we’ve been together, I want more? It makes me crazy. You make me crazy.”

Reality can wait.” Her voice is quiet as she looks down. “Reality scares me.” “Then ignore it with me. Hide with me until reality slams through that door and takes me away from you.” She fights against her tears as she nods. “Okay.”

“I thought about these moments,” I tell her. “When I was forced to do things, my mind always brought me back to the times we’ve spent together.” “What times?” “I mean, my favourite was when you did your fancy little dance then sucked me off.”

“My favourite was when I realised I was falling in love with you,” she says, taking a deep breath. “We were driving to London, and I kept staring at you and thinking how lucky I was. I knew then that you had my heart. When we split, I missed you. I always came to your room when you were away and cried in your bed.”

Luciella comes up beside me. “I’m proud of you, Kade.” “Why?” She glances up at me, her eyes watering. “You survived.”

“Where are we going?” she asks. “I’m taking you to bed.” “Oh.” I glance at her – she’s blushing. “To nap,” I clarify.

“I love you,” I pant. “I’m going to prove to you every day for the rest of my life just how much I love you.”

I never stopped loving you, Stacey, even when I was a dick to you. I’ve always been yours.”

“Forever my addiction,” he mutters. “I’m obsessed with everything about you.”

“I can never get enough of you, Stacey. Even when I’m dead, I’ll be haunting you, inside you while you lie in our bed, remembering all the ways I’ve rocked your fucking world with my cock inside this pussy.”

“Is my good girl going to take every drop of my cum? Are you going to swell up with my kid and give me everything we’ve ever wanted? I’m going to keep fucking you until we get our miracle. Every day, every night, I’ll be inside you. I want to see you fucking dripping, only so I can shove it back into you, my fingers deep inside your cunt.”

“We have years. Let’s make it up to each other until we’re old.” Kade takes my hand and presses his lips to the top of it. “Years.”

“You need to focus on yourself. Mr Mitchell has more than enough support. Help yourself. Love yourself. I want you to dance until you’re in tears from the overload of emotions. I want you to scream. Write down your thoughts. Always, always put yourself first going forward. Do you understand, Miss Rhodes?”

“Before anyone else, love yourself, Miss Rhodes. You cannot give your all to someone if you aren’t doing the same for yourself.”

And he was the first person I told when I kissed you. He was hyping me up to kiss you again then celebrated when I told him you were my girlfriend. I told him before anyone else that you were pregnant too.”

Luciella runs out of the front door and stops dead in her tracks, her wide eyes fixed on Base, who also freezes as he goes to walk around the front of the car. His cheeks go bright red as he clears his throat. “Hi, princess.”

“Who’s the kid?” Base holds his arm out for her, and she hooks hers into it. “Fuck no. Tell me this is a joke. She’s young.” Base plasters on a fake smile. “Everyone, I’d like to introduce you to Nikita.” His voice is strained, his brown eyes flicking to the man who warned him. “My wife.” “What the fuck?” Dez mutters under his breath. “Luciella is a million times better.”

Base rushes for her and takes her arm. “I didn’t fuck her,” he says quietly so the other Russians don’t hear. “I swear I didn’t. I told you I wouldn’t touch her.” She doesn’t look at him. Her lip trembles. “Please let me go.” “Not until you tell me you believe me. I didn’t fuck her. Please.”

“She’s your wife. You can do what you want,” Luciella replies, her eyes glassy. “Don’t make this harder than it already is. I’m not mad, I promise. I know all of this is out of your control.” He releases her arm and shakes his head. “I tried to call the wedding off.” “I know.” He goes to take a step forward again but stops himself. “Please tell me you believe I didn’t go near her.” “What I think doesn’t change things, Sebastian. I’m not angry with you. I just… I need to go.” Luciella glances at all of us, a tear slipping down her cheek. “I’m going to go to my room.”

Tears stain her cheeks from choking on it. The only tears I ever want to see on her.

I worship every inch of her. The ground she walks on. The way she smiles and laughs and loves me.

“Because you’re going to be my wife. You’ve already taken my heart, my body, and my butchered soul, so you’ll take my fucking last name too.”

“Is that a yes?” I pant, carefully pulling her off my dick by the hair. “You’ll marry me?” I tense as she sweeps her tongue up my length. “I’m going to kill you.” I frown, a groan trapped in my throat as she pumps me in her palm. “Why?” “You’re seriously asking me to marry you while your dick is in my mouth?”

Stacey didn’t fucking answer me. Is that a yes or a no? Do I need to get down on one knee surrounded by roses with a violinist playing? Do I need to put a shirt on our future child that says, Marry Daddy? Get the dogs involved? Write the words on a dessert in chocolate in a fancy restaurant? I’ll ask again later. And I won’t let her off without an answer.

“You didn’t answer me,” I say, pulling her to me. “Make my shitty life a little better by being Stacey Mitchell.” I kiss the tip of her nose then her forehead. “Please? I’ll wear a kilt to our wedding, and Kyle can walk you down the aisle.” Her cheeks go red. “And what if people ask how you proposed to me?” I shrug. “Tell them the truth.”

It’s been nearly nine weeks since the order was put in place, and all we’ve been doing is making up for lost time. I didn’t think it was possible to fall more in love with her, but I certainly have.

I think I’m becoming dangerously obsessed with the idea of putting a kid in her. Maybe because I think there’s still a chance I might die, and I want to leave a part of myself behind for her to love. A mini version of myself I might never meet.

Me: Might miss lunch. Me: I can barely see. Me: Also, marry me? I have four hundred million in my bank. I can use that for a ring? Would that be enough? I know you don’t care about money but think of how fucking nice that diamond would be? Me: Can you tell Luciella to talk to Base about all this pregnancy shit? He’s a mopey prick and annoying me.

Me: I nearly sent my mum a picture of my joint. Maybe I should call it quits and go to bed. Me: Might miss supper. Me: If you don’t get your phone from the bedroom and respond to me, I might just take your ass while you’re asleep. Me: That sounded bad. Sorry. But please let me fuck your ass again. It’s very pretty, but it looks even better with my dick buried inside it. I’ll go slow and very, veryyyyyy gentle. Me: This conversation is awfully one-sided, Freckles. I’m a little offended.

“I can’t ever lose you. I… I can’t. Ever. I thought I lost you… I couldn’t find you… couldn’t fucking think straight.”

“I nearly lost you.” “You’ll never lose me, Kade.”

And there’s not a chance in hell I’m letting my pregnant sister jump from that height.” Base pauses. “What?”